Optical networks use Wavelength Selective Switches (WSS) to dynamically route optical wavelength signals from a source to a destination. WSS devices often rely on wavelength manipulation elements such as liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) devices or micro-electromechanical (MEMS) mirror arrays to perform the routing.
LCoS devices include a liquid crystal material sandwiched between a transparent glass layer having a transparent electrode, and a silicon substrate divided into a two-dimensional array of individually addressable pixels. Each pixel is individually drivable by a voltage signal to provide a local phase change to an optical signal, thereby providing a two-dimensional array of phase manipulating regions. Manipulation of individual spectral components is possible once an optical signal has been spatially separated by a diffractive element such as a diffraction grating. The spatial separation of spectral components is directed onto predetermined regions of the LCoS device, which can be independently manipulated by driving the corresponding pixels in a predetermined manner.